This room had a few cable displays – no music. I think this was the primary display.
We talked about the sound of this room with the Souluion electronics on the Magico Q3 speakers in a recent comment, and I don’t want to belabor the problems the sound here had.
Let’s play detective.
2 years ago the Soulution on the big YG Acoustics at RMAF sounded much better than this. It still had a lot of problems if you are looking to listen to music on the things, but better. They used what I think is an inferior digital source at that show [not a CD player].
1 year ago, the same system, with Tenor amps. Same source. Slightly more harmonic color, slightly more rounder notes, but largely the same issues.
This CES. The Tenor again on the big YG Acoustics – this time with a CD player as a source. Much, much better. A system worth listening to more fully to find out all that it can and cannot do.
This CES. The Luxman on the Magico Q3. To my ears it was the epitome of this kind of Gee Whiz sound. Tight. Controlled. Dynamic. Punchy. With enough harmonics and correctness so that one can at least recognize what song is playing [this is in reference to the future discussion here of the Q7 system this CES. Think the speakers could be really great, actually, I really liked them – but the sound was completely whack].
OK fellow detectives, what does this all mean?
It means it takes a whole system to sound good. And just one component or accessory or incorrect positioning to muck it up.
[and it means Bill should bring a real source commensurate in quality with everything else he brings o the shows at RMAF ;-)].
So, in a very serious sense, I point out the systems that had serious problems at these shows so that, not to denigrate any particular product [though good detectives (and dealers and distributors and audiophiles) can find patterns in the sound of multiple rooms with the same product], but so that if you read a review of this room somewhere that said that the sound in these rooms was Awesome, you can put that reviewer onto a list of people who … uh… let’s say: have a completely different agenda than ours 🙂
Magico Q3 loudspeaker
Magico Q3 loudspeaker
Soulution 540 CD / SACD player
Soulution 540 CD / SACD player
Soulution 540 CD / SACD player
Soulution 590 USB Converter
Soulution 590 USB Converter
Soulution 590 USB Converter
Soulution 501 monoblock amplifier
The list of components in this room. I amj unsure if I got the 590 USB converter right above, as being 2 pieces, or if this list is missing a component.
Don’t think music was playing here on this system of Unison Research ‘Giro’ turntable, Bel Canto electronics, Running Springs Audio power conditioner, Harmonic Resolution Systems SXR equipment rack, Cardas cabling, and Joseph Audio’s Pearl 2 loudspeakers.
I’ll have you all know that I had to learn how to spell ‘Joeseph’ for this post. That it should be actually spelled ‘Joseph’ came as one of those surprises in life. You know, like … “really? no way!” Kind of like that people really eat peanut butter and olive sandwiches.
Bel Canto gear on HRS SXR equipment rack
Bel Canto gear, Unison Research Giro turntable, on HRS SXR equipment rack
Joseph Audio’s Pearl 2 loudspeaker
Joseph Audio’s Pearl 2 loudspeaker
Joseph Audio’s Pearl 2 loudspeaker rear binding posts.
Unison Research Giro turntable
In a side room was another couplea systems: this one featured the Joseph Audio ‘Perspective’ loudspeakers
The Joseph Audio ‘Perspective’ loudspeaker
This other system featured the Joseph Audio Pulsar monitor loudspeaker
Joseph Audio Pulsar stand-mounted loudspeaker
Joseph Audio ‘Perspective’ loudspeaker
I think these last 2 photos are some of the coolest in the report so far. Hope these capture what the original displayed – with all the reflections of the marble parquet floor causing the speakers to kind of blend-into / sprout-up-out-of the floor.
Speaker rear.
Speaker front.
